Patent GB-1019405-A (GB)
Title: Article receiving and storing apparatus
Inventor: PUTMAN RAYMOND CORNELIUS
IPC: G07F7/06
Filed: 1964-04-08
Abstract: 1,019,405. Article-delivering apparatus. SHUFORD ENTERPRISES Inc. April 8, 1964, No. 14492/64. Heading G4V. A machine which dispenses a refund for empty bottles has one station for receiving cartons having spaces for two parallel rows of bottles, and means for counting the number of bottles in a carton, and another station for receiving single bottles, with means for sensing the size of the bottle, and has one coin delivering device for dispensing a refund in accordance with the number of bottles in a carton, or the size of a single bottle. The carton receiving station is shown in Fig. 8, also in plan in Fig. 5, and comprises a door 64 giving access to a base 100, 101 on which a carton is placed. The presence of a carton is sensed by switch operating feelers such as 130, and energizes a motor driving a chain 111, so that the carton is held between lugs 114, 112 (or 115, 113), and transferred on to a platform 250. In this process, the bottles in one row pass a microswitch 140, and then the bottles in the other row pass a microswitch 143, so that the appropriate number of impulses pass to a counter, described later. An interlock is provided so that the motor cannot operate while the door is open, and the door is locked while the motor operates. When platform 250 holds four cartons, it is full, and a feeler 251 is deflected to energize a motor which reciprocates a shifter bar 255, see also Fig. 6, which pushes the row of cartons on to a shelf 303, 304, or 305, of a storage rack 300 releasably attached to the machine. A switch 285, Fig. 5, ensures that if the cartons are pushed too far on to platform 250, the shifter bar 255 cannot operate, and an alarm may be energized. The carton receiving station and its associated mechanism are mounted on an elevator, Fig. 6, which carries a counter 350 operated with the shifter bar 255. When twelve rows of cartons have been pushed on to one shelf, the counter energizes the elevator motor, so that the carton receiving station and platform 250 drop one shelf. When the lowest shelf is full, the elevator operates a limit switch which stops the whole machine, except for a visual or aural indication that the storage rack is full. Removal of the rack opens a microswitch 192 which disables the carton receiving station, and closes a microswitch 385 which sends the elevator up to the top shelf location. The securing of another storage rack re-activates the carton receiving station through switch 192. The counter, Fig. 11A, comprises a ratchet-wheel 177 biased anticlockwise by spring 181, and normally prevented from rotating clockwise by pawl 182. A further pawl 178 and spring 179 are operated by solenoid 180 by each impulse from switches 140, 143 (Fig. 5), so that the wheel rotates one notch for each bottle in the carton. Contact arms 174, 176 rotate with the wheel and make contacts 164-169, and 171-173 connected to solenoids 157, 160, 161 controlling coin release gates 154, 155, 156 beneath coin stacks 151, 152, 153. After the last bottle has passed switch 143, Fig. 5, a finger 128 or 129 on chain 111 operates switch 184, which closes the circuits to solenoids 157 and/or 160 and/or 161, depending on the position of arms 174, 176, to release the appropriate denominations of coin. Finger 128 or 129 then operates switch 186, to energize solenoid 183 to withdraw pawl 182 and enable spring 181 to reset the counter to zero. Finger 128 or 129 then operates switch 205 to stop chain 111. The single bottle receiving station, Fig. 12, comprises a door 407 with a bracket 408 so that when the door is closed, the bracket pushes the bottle on to a feeler 410 operating switch 412 to energize motor 430. This drives a transfer member 413 along rail 415, and pushes the bottle into the storage compartment on the right. A small bottle operates a microswitch 441 on a lever 434 pivoted on fixed framework and spring biased to the position shown. A large bottle, however, pushes lever 434 out of its path, before switch 441 is operated, and then operates a switch 431. Switches 441 and 431 are connected to solenoids 157, 160, respectively, Fig. 11A, so that a coin of appropriate denomination is released. Further contacts on switches 441, 431, interrupt line 224 which is connected to contact arms 174, 176, so that a refund for a carton and a single bottle cannot occur simultaneously. Door 407, Fig. 12, is interlocked with motor 430 so that the motor is de-energized when the door is open, and the door is locked while the motor operates.